2019: Don’t allow PDP return to power, Buhari tells Nigerians

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday asked Nigerians not to allow the main opposition the People Democratic Party (PDP) return to power come 2019.

A group National Consolidation Ambassadors of Nigeria (NCAN), had last week purchased the N45 million nomination form for the president for his reelection.

The President while returning the nomination form said that Nigerians must not allow those who brought the country to its knees from 1999 to 2015 to come and take us back.

He, however, promised that if elected, “I shall continue to serve you to the best of my abilities, stressing that the party should “not to be complacent but prepare, strategize and win 2019 elections.”

In his reaction, National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomohle assured the president that the APC his leadership has credible and verifiable persons to conduct direct primaries on the basis of membership register.

“Before I am miss-understood or miss-quoted, it goes to say that in spite of the fact that we have these credible membership register, it does not in any way nullify or change the decisions of NEC with regards to the flexibility that was agreed to, the NWC will strive to give practical expression as transparently as possible so that this party will not only be the largest but the smartest, the most democratic and most cohesive.”

On the ongoing membership registration of the APC, Comrade Oshiomohle confirmed that the party now has about 15.6 million members.

ALSO READ: Akpabio remains major issue in Akwa Ibom politics’

“We want to present to you some of the efforts we have been making since our assumption of office. We promised to activate the membership data, update it, register more members because party s a mass movement and because being able to talk about the size of our party, we need to have evidence that can be verified by members and all.

We have taken advantage of modern technology to produce what we think is the best or the first in Nigeria. As at last week when they started printing the membership register, we now have about 15.6 registered APC members across the country.

The system has been designed in such a way that from the comfort of any member’s seating room, you can crosscheck your membership and membership of anyone you want to verify without any effort.

Mr President, this your card which I am proud to say cannot easily be forged or duplicated or printed by roadside printers. We are very proud of this achievement because it fits into our mantra of change. We now have a digital membership register. The card will expire December 31, 2018. It is our belief that by then, technology would have improved and we will be able to improve on the card.

Before I am misunderstood or misquoted, it goes to say that in spite of the fact that we have these credible membership register, it does not in any way modify or change the decision of NEC regarding the flexibility that was agreed to. At the NWC, we try to give practical expression transparently as possible so that the party will not only be the largest, it will be smartest, the most democratic and the most cohesive,” He said.